Build Your Content Strategy from The Foundation Up

A content marketing strategy doesn’t have to be complex to be successful. In fact, with the right combination of tactics it can be one of the most cost-effective strategies for driving ROI. Alexa Biale, Brand Marketing Manager at Newscred explains how other marketers have been successful, and walk away with tips to make the most of your own content marketing efforts

But what makes up the ideal combination? When licensed content, original content, and various distribution channels come together, the results are game changing. We recently took a look at content strategies from Fortune 1000 brands, as well as our own, and analyzed the best elements in each. To provide you with the tools to build your own successful content strategy, we used these insights to create a series of three graphics with our content agency partner, Column Five.

Let’s start with “efficiently scaling your content.” Content is the core element of a successful content strategy, but you need multiple sources of content to keep consumers engaged. By using a diverse selection of stories, perspectives, and voices as well as the right combination of licensed and original content, clients grew their social following, pageviews, and saw tangible business results. For example, Capgemini’s mix of content resulted in 350,000 unique views within six months and an average of 3,000 new LinkedIn followers per week. Additionally, by taking advantage of licensed content, these kinds of results can be achieved with a team 80 percent smaller than the average marketing team at an enterprise brand. Implementing an assortment of content not only drives engagement, but does so at a much lower cost.

But your strategy can’t depend on content alone. You need a mix of distribution channels that ensure your content is reaching consumers. By meeting your audience where they are, whether that’s on social media, through email or with public relations outreach, you’re enhancing your content. With a solid distribution strategy, your content gets in front of the right audience and increases the potential of turning those consumers into customers. It’s important to remember though, that while social media distribution is popular, tried-and-true methods such as email can’t be ignored. In fact, it’s the strongest component in the distribution mix, with approximately 57 percent of marketers saying that email marketing drives the highest ROI of all their distribution channels. In addition, traditional PR tactics like pitching media and working with distribution partners can attract consumers that may have otherwise not been reached.

Finally, once you’ve created content and determined distribution, you can focus on earning your audience without overspending your hard-earned budget. While, it can be difficult to take that step away from aging advertising methods, 45 percent of Fortune 1000 marketers still allocate the majority of their budget to traditional advertising, earning your audience through content is far more valuable than traditional advertising. In fact, hundreds of marketers admitted that only 5 percent of traditional advertising delivers the most ROI. Consumers, just like us, crave value added content, 97 percent of Fortune 1000 marketers spend an hour researching and consuming content before buying. Taking advantage of these consumer demands and creating compelling content that entices readers helped increase our renewal rate by 41 percent and increased our customer upsells by 33 percent.

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